August 2011 – Smurfity smurf smurf smurf!

So. Cineworld.

After four years spent scouring various Vue cinemas for the latest releases, I have finally sucked up, bought an Unlimited Card and sacrificed comfort, competence and not hearing the hand-drier during the quiet bits for the easy life in good old Dundee.

To compliment this fresh start, I decided to overhaul the blog, adding an archive option to help organise my reviews by year (whether 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011) and add a few more reviews of films I have enjoyed or shaken my fist at through the years. As such, I finally got around to reviewing The Dark Knight, The Hole in 3D, Charlie St. Cloud, Star Trek and, er, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.

My first point of business, however: Super 8. Easily my favourite film of the summer, Super 8 proved impossible to follow, as the likes of Rise of the Planet of the Apes (which admittedly came pretty close), Cowboys & Aliens (less so) and Conan The Barbarian (…) arrived and quickly departed cinemas to little effect in order to prove.

August was all about the pleasant surprises; a unexpectedly enjoyable Gargamel in The Smurfs, a generous helping of hysterics courtesy of The Inbetweeners Movie and welcomingly jovial turns from Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in Friends With Benefits more than made up for the relative disappointment of Final Destination Umpteen.

Similarly, an invitation from Talisker Whiskey for popcornaddiction to visit the Isle of Wight caught me completely by surprise, as did the offer of a complimentary bottle as way of consolation for my inability to attend (stupid Scotland and it’s Northness). From HeyUGuys I received my very first poster (and TV spot) quote for The Troll Hunter, a revelation that (not) quite literally blew my mind.

With my birthday turning me 24 this week, all that was left was the traditional Blogalongabond. Moore took over from Connery for this month’s Live and Let Die, and you know what? It wasn’t entirely awful. Surprise indeed.

Roll on September (and The Man With The Golden Gun).

Film of the month: Super 8